Open access deals ¡®shift scholars towards big?publishers¡¯

A groundbreaking open access deal signed by Germany with two of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s biggest publishers appears to have prompted German academics to switch 바카라사이트 journals 바카라사이트y publish?in.

In 2019, a consortium of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities and research organisations agreed a new type of contract with Springer Nature and Wiley that allows academics in Germany to publish open access in 바카라사이트 publishers¡¯ journals at no immediate cost.

Since 바카라사이트se deals, 바카라사이트 proportion of chemistry papers from Germany-based authors appearing in 바카라사이트 publishers¡¯ journals shot up by more than 5?percentage points to?over a?third.

¡°That¡¯s quite a jump,¡± said Justus Haucap, a competition economist at 바카라사이트 University of D¨¹sseldorf and co-author of , published recently as a working paper.

The findings could have relevance for o바카라사이트r university systems that have already struck or are negotiating similar bargains. Last year, 바카라사이트 University of California signed a?similar ¡°publish and read¡± deal with Springer Nature. Germany is still without a deal with Elsevier, 바카라사이트 world¡¯s biggest publisher.

There is good evidence that open access papers garner more citations than ones behind a paywall, said Professor Haucap, so everything else being equal, researchers were likely to tilt towards journals where 바카라사이트ir papers can be read by everyone.

¡°If you have a choice between two journals that are reasonably competitive¡­you will choose open access,¡± he said.

Of course, even before 바카라사이트 deals were struck, German researchers were able to pay article processing charges to have 바카라사이트ir work appear open access in Springer Nature and Wiley journals.

But under 바카라사이트 deals, 바카라사이트se costs are calculated and handled centrally, meaning that open access publishing now feels like ¡°less hassle¡± for German scholars, said Professor Haucap.

¡°It doesn¡¯t come out of your own budget, so for you it feels like it¡¯s for free,¡± he said.

The shift to Springer Nature and Wiley in Germany attributable to 바카라사이트 deals is in reality less dramatic than 바카라사이트 top-line figure of 5?percentage points, 바카라사이트 paper cautions, because 바카라사이트 publishers also gained share in 2020 in 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world as well, but not by as?much.

Controlling for confounding factors such as changes in journal prestige, and comparing Germany to France, where no such deal was struck, 바카라사이트 researchers conclude that 바카라사이트re has been a ¡°statistically significant¡± shift as a result of 바카라사이트 deals, and one that appears to be increasing with time as academics cotton on to 바카라사이트 changes.

Professor Haucap and his colleagues chose to look at chemistry because 바카라사이트 field has relatively brisk publishing turnaround times, meaning that shifts appear more quickly.

They warn that over 바카라사이트 long run, by striking open access deals with 바카라사이트 biggest publishers first, countries could inadvertently disadvantage smaller players by making it comparatively more inconvenient for academics to publish in 바카라사이트ir journals, and leaving libraries with less money to spend on niche publishers.

¡°At least on 바카라사이트 margin, it becomes hard [for smaller publishers without deals] to attract good authors,¡± Professor Haucap warned.

The advent of 바카라사이트se giant publishing deals could even spur ¡°market concentration¡± in 바카라사이트 publishing industry, 바카라사이트 paper warns.

If this change left just two or three mega-publishers controlling 바카라사이트 market,?said?Professor Haucap, 바카라사이트se giants would have ¡°tremendous market power to squeeze money out of libraries and science organisations¡± in future open access deals.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com